Workshop Title: The Research Revolution: Reclaiming Data and Evidence-Based Practice for the Black Yoga Professional

This workshop is specifically designed to transform research literacy from a dry, academic subject into a tool for social justice and community empowerment. For Black yoga teachers and therapists, being research-literate means having the power to protect their communities from "one-size-fits-all" medical models that often exclude them.

The universal ancient art of yoga has supported the health and well-being of indigenous people around the world for millennia. Scientific research on the benefits of yoga for healing has a long history in Asian nations such as India and China. Since the inception of the United States National Institutes on Health (NIH) National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), yoga research in the western hemisphere (European dominated countries) has increased exponentially over the past two decades. As NCCAM and scholars strive to develop standards for yoga research, the presence of Black and other POC voices are void
in western-based yoga research and clinical trials. In this workshop, we will explore: the relevance of yoga research for the Black community; the equity challenges of accessing yoga research opportunities for Black yoga teachers; and how yoga research might benefit certain chronic disease patterns that are plaguing the Black community. A question and answer session will provide space for attendees to ask questions about their interest in using research to inform their own yoga teaching practice.